


Boys of Summer

by Taranticat



Category: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Genre: 90s AU, M/M, Mac and Dennis, MacDennis - Freeform, Pining, mac and dennis are stupid teens and fall in love troupe, mac x dennis - Freeform, macden - Freeform, no chardee but they kiss for a second and dee hates it, sort of a romeo and juliet situation but without the death
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-10
Updated: 2020-01-10
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:15:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22190920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Taranticat/pseuds/Taranticat
Summary: It's 1993 and Dee and Dennis meet Mac and Charlie at the Jersey Shore in the height of a summer heatwave. What could possibly go wrong? Throw in a little romance and mutual pining and this tale of broken hearts and summer love could end up being the love story for the ages.(Sorry I literally suck as summaries so bad.)
Relationships: Mac McDonald/Dennis Reynolds
Comments: 5
Kudos: 15





	Boys of Summer

**Author's Note:**

> hey! This is the first longer fic I've ever written and I'm super psyched about it!
> 
> This fic is dedicated to the best iasip discord server int he whole world I love you guys so much and I hope you enjoy it! <3

Chapter I - The night we met I knew I needed you so

July 1993

It was around midday when they arrived at the Jersey Shore. The hot summer winds peeled off the sea and pushed into town, whipping up against the side of the antique Chevy that crawled along the scorched roadside. Dennis Reynolds was slouched lazily in the stuffy backseat of the car, his Walkman glued to his ears playing the newest Rick Astley album in an attempt to drown out his sisters shrill squawking. He had no expectations for this vacation whatsoever because it was always the same. Every July his family would drive to the same part of the Jersey Shore, they would rent the same beach house and they would eat out in the same restaurants, the only difference was that each year Dennis got older and more apathetic. Irritated with himself for being so cynical, he closed his eyes and let the music rewire his brain, leaving him feeling calm and collected. All of a sudden, he felt a sharp, bony jab in his arm, Dennis snapped open his eyes and shot a poisonous glare at his sister Dee who had leant over to his side and was eyeing him like a bird.

  
“What the fuck do you want?” He hissed.

  
“We’re here.”

  
“Yeah, I can see that.”

  
“Oh, that’s really mature.”

  
Dennis yanked off his headphones, shooting another scowl at Dee before getting out of the car. Before he closed the door, he heard her mumble ‘fucking prick’ whilst she gathered her bag and got out, slamming the car door with extra force just to piss him off. Oh yeah and that’s mature? Dennis thought.

  
“Deandre stop slamming the door like that, no one is ever going to think you’re a lady if you keep stomping about like a hulking brute honestly.” Mrs Reynolds chided as she slipped on her sunglasses and surveyed the house for any signs of wear and tear that could somehow make her look less privileged and rich that everyone else. She rolled her eyes, just like every year; it would have to do.

  
“Oh, Frank I really wish you would invest in a better vacation house than this. I mean, it’s a shithole. It looks like dirty hut straight out of the Amazon rainforest.” She said.

  
“Quit your bitchin’ Barb. I get this on a deal every year and I ain’t gonna give this up for some overpriced, tacky new build that ain’t got no character to it. I mean look at this! It’s got heaps o’ character, it’s practically vintage!” Mr Reynolds beamed as he violently spread his arms wide in front of the house in an attempt to somehow highlight it’s dull and worn-out features.

  
“Pshh…if by vintage you mean falling apart and old as fuck.” Dee grumbled, kicking the side of the off-white veranda.

  
It shook from the contact of Dee’s shoe and threatened to collapse then and there; for once on his life Dennis had to agree with his sister, this place really blowed.

  
“Well it’s either here or nowhere at all. Get inside you little shits.” Frank retorted, a scowl plastering his ageing face as he trudged up to the front door mumbling something about kids being so ungrateful these days.

As they walked up the gravel pathway, Dennis turned to Dee and remarked upon the house in a confused tone.

  
“Hey, is it just me or…or did this place get even shittier since last year?”

  
“don’t know, don’t care.”

  
“Oh, wow Dee, act you age.” Dennis scoffed, annoyance twinging his brow at his sister’s bitchy remarks.

  
“Act your age dude, I’m not the one who’s seventeen and still sleeps with a stuffed elephant.”

“Mr Tibbs is not just a – you know what? It doesn’t matter.”

  
“Whatever, assbag.”

  
Before Dennis even had a chance to reply, Dee had already jogged up the garden path and had joined her father at the front door. She slouched on the wall next to him and crossed her arms in an impatient manner as Mr Reynolds fished through his pockets in search of the key to the house. Plastered on her face was a signature glare and if looks could kill, Dennis would be the victim of a serious knife crime right now. Just as Mr Reynolds opened the door a wicked grin spread across her face and Dennis knew. How could he have been so stupid?

  
“SHOTGUN NOT SLEEPING IN THE ATTIC!” Dee shouted as she snatched her suitcase up off the floor and practically shot through the door, up the stairs and out of sight.

  
Dennis felt his whole-body lunge forward in instinct and before he knew it, he was exasperatedly lugging his suitcase up the stairs. Behind him he could hear his mother shouting from outside.

  
“No fighting over rooms for God’s sake!”

  
Perhaps if he caught up with her in the hall, he would be able to tackle her and scramble into the bedroom and slam the door triumphantly in her face. No. With her gangly ostrich legs she’d be in there already. Dennis stormed across the landing and down the hallway to the front bedroom, peeping sheepishly around the door frame he saw her. Dee was lying on the bed, sneakers off and was smirking at Dennis. The bitch had won, this year she had finally got here before him, that back brace of hers coming off really had fucked him over this time round. Not only was she stronger now but she could actually run without that metal cage slowing her down. Every year Dennis had taken great pleasure in briskly walking to the better bedroom while Dee crawled behind him, her brace preventing her from even remotely competing with him. But this year she had finally beaten him and oh God was she going to rub it in his face.

  
“Finally caught up I see.” She said.

  
“Oh, fuck off, bird.”

  
“Uh yeah that’s right Dennis, Sweet Dee just flew. She flew right up those stairs and beat your weak little ass. What are you gonna do about it? Cry?”

  
“You wish.”

  
“mhmm.”

“I actually don’t care.”

  
“Sure.”

  
“I thought it might be a nice change, the attic I mean. Was getting bored of the view in here actually.”

  
“Well don’t let me get in the way of your fun. Give the rats and spiders my regards.”

  
It was obvious that she was clearly trying to kick him while he was down and as much as Dennis hated to admit it, she was doing it well. Just don’t give in to any of her bullshit Dennis. He thought.

  
“Okay well then, I’m gonna head up…”

  
“Ok.”

  
“To the attic…”

  
“Knock yourself out.”

  
Dennis grabbed the handle of his suitcase so hard his knuckles turned the colour of ghosts and as he swivelled around, turning his back, he felt her eyes boring holes into his body, her mocking aura was practically swarming the corridor too. Dennis wheeled his suitcase across the landing and to the stairs that led up to the second floor of the house, the attic.

  
It wasn’t really an attic. Dee and Dennis had just named it that because it looked so much like one, hell, it was two cobwebs away from being haunted. No, ‘The Attic’ was just a lofty roof extension that had been added to the house when it was supposedly refurbished before they started renting it every summer. Dennis suspected this so-called refurbishment must have happened in the stone age because it was practically falling apart. There was no heating up there, so it got awfully cold in the night-time, not to mention that the only source of sunlight was through a poky little window that jutted out of the side of the roof. Dennis felt more like a prisoner than a tourist.  
Dennis pulled the light switch toggle and the small hanging bulb sputtered to life in the middle of the room, emitting a sickly yellow haze that made the edges of the furniture look worn and unpleasant. He walked over to the bed and threw his Walkman on it before lying down himself, seeing the dust off the bedsheets delicately swirl around him in depressing coils. He looked up. There were cracks in the ceiling and in the corner of the roof he could have sworn, were the remains of a dead house spider. Gross.

  
“oooh well don’t let me get in the way of your fun oooh knock yourself out. Fucking bitch.” Dennis whispered, imitating Dee’s voice in a mocking tone as he quietly seethed with rage.

  
Deciding that the best remedy for getting over ‘Dee rage’ was to listen to his eighties rewind mixtape, he blindly fumbled around his bed for his Walkman and headphones. Slipping them over his ears for the second time that day, he closed his eyes and immersed himself into kajagoogoo’s ‘Too shy’.

…

After what seemed like half an hour of dozing, Dennis was jilted by a heavy banging noise. He removed his headphones and jolted upright in his bed, a disgruntled frown developing on his face as he called out.

  
“Who is it?”

  
“It’s Dee.”

  
“Yeah so? What do you want?”

  
Come to rub it in my face again I see. She just couldn’t help herself, could she? Dennis thought internally as he waited for her to start the emotional battery.

  
“Dad wants us to go into town and get him some cigarettes from the store.”

Seriously.

  
“What? Why can’t he go and get them himself? Why can’t you go and get them yourself? Why do I need to go with you?”

  
“Cooome ooon Dennnnis pleaseeee? I don’t wanna go alone.”

  
“No.”

  
“Pretty please?”

  
“Still no.”

  
“I’ll buy you something if you go with me.”

  
“Dee if you think you can persuade me by buying me something then you can forge-.”

  
“I’ll buy you a pack of cherry Twizzlers.”

  
“Okay fine. I’ll go.”

  
Dammit. She was good. Dennis walked over to the door and twisted the knob, revealing his sister who was perched on the top step of the stairs. Immediately she stood up and beamed at him with unusual joy and Dennis couldn’t help but inwardly soften at her happiness. Maybe a trip into town wouldn’t be so bad. He could do with the fresh air and besides, it sounded infinitely more appealing than sulking in the attic or being around his parents.

  
“Well come on then.” He said impatiently.

  
She stuck out her tongue and Dennis laughed.

…

The July winds offered no soothing cool breeze at all as they practically lacerated people who strolled along the boardwalks of Ocean City pier. Tourists desperately crammed into arcades and cafes, latching to the AC outlets in the shops so as to not melt to death in the blazing sun. Locals strolled about at ease and being used to the climate, they silently laughed at the unwitting tourists who sweltered and moaned, their clothes soaked through with sweat. God town was hot. Dennis thought as he and Dee walked along the boardwalk to the local Wawa store.

  
“Jesus it’s hotter than the Sahara out here.”

  
“It’s not that hot you’re just being a pussy.” Dee said as she rolled her eyes and opened the shop door, the electronic bell chiming just out of key from years of use without proper maintenance.

The shop smelled of hard-boiled sweets and sweat, a combination almost making Dennis gag as he followed his sister into the store. A shitty muzak cover of Relax by Frankie Goes to Hollywood blared on the speakers while the owner slouched lazily behind the counter picking the dirt out of his nails and watching re-runs of Taxi. He barely looked at the twins as they made their way up to the counter.

  
“s’cuze me. Can I get a pack of Marlboro Gold?”

  
The owner peered at Dee beneath his bushy bows and without saying a word, reached under the desk and pulled out the pack of cigarettes, throwing them onto the counter.

  
“Anythin’ else?” He grunted.

  
“Yeah a pack of Cherry Twizlers – hey Den.” She turned and faced Dennis with a gaze of impatience. “Hurry up and go get your shitty candy.”

  
“Alight fine, jeez. I won’t be a sec!” Dennis called as he jogged over to the shop window to collect his incentive for practically babysitting his sister.

  
Just as he was about to return to the counter something caught his eye outside, or rather some people caught his eye. Through the plastic store front Dennis spotted two boys, or at least, he thought they were boys. It was hard to tell. The reason why being that they were both running at incredible speed along the boardwalk towards the pier. Almost seconds after they caught his eye, Dennis spotted another pair of runners closely following them in hot pursuit. These boys where physically a lot bulkier and had an infuriated look upon their faces. As much as Dennis wanted to write them off as friends of the first two, it seemed more likely that these boys wanted to hang them let alone hang out with them.

  
Flitting back to the first pair, he noticed that they had shot down under the pier, most likely in an attempt to lose the bullies who were still hot on their trail and for a moment it looked like they had been successful but no sooner had Dennis thought it, the two other boys followed them under the pier and out of sight. This injection of adrenaline and curiosity hit Dennis lightly in the chest and he stared out the window in a daze. Should he go and see what happens? Or should he just mind his own damn business and head back to the house with Dee and sit in his room feeling miserable and bored? He had already made up his mind.

  
“Oh fuck it.” Dennis said aloud as he shot out of the shop.

  
“DUDE WHAT THE HELL!? Fuck. DENNIS WAIT UP!” Dee bellowed as she hastily handed the shop owner money and shoved the pack of cigarettes in her pockets before sprinting to catch up with her brother who was already on the other side of the road.

  
When Dee finally caught up with Dennis he was crouching behind a pillar, the strawberry Twizzlers shoved hastily into the back pocket of his jeans. She ran over to him and pinched him hard on the arm and Dennis angrily smacked her hand away.

  
“Hey asshole, mind telling me what the fuck that was all about?” Dee hissed.

  
“Shut up for once in your life Jesus- they’ll hear you.”

  
“They?”

  
“Those guys. Over there.” Dennis whispered as he motioned with his index finger to the commotion that was happening on the other side of the wooden pillar.

  
“Do you know them? Who the hell are they?”

  
“I saw them get chased under here and I dunno...jus wanted to see what was gonna go down.”

  
“oh? Guys fighting? That's hot.” Dee said, trying to peer around the corner without getting caught.

  
Internally cringing at Dee's comment, Dennis switched back to the events that were unfolding. The bullies had caught up with the boys and were now backing them up into a corner of the dilapidated pier, wicked grins appearing on their greasy pubescent faces. Squinting, Dennis finally got a good look at them. The first boy was rather short and had clumps of chocolate brown hair exploding from his head like he’d been electrocuted several times, Dennis also noticed that bizarrely, he was missing his left shoe. The second of the boys was a lot larger and less scrawny. His hair was gelled back in a way that reeked of ‘I think I’m hardcore as shit’ making Dennis scoff. Definitely cheap gel. He had also for some reason cut off the sleeves of his shirt making him look fucking ridiculous. 

Suddenly, one of the bullies stepped forward.

  
“I told you if we saw you hangin’ around by the arcade again we was gonna punch you so hard your teeth were gonna be at the back of your throat.” He spat.

  
Charlie raised his hands to his face and waved them wildly.

  
“Alright, alright fellas. Nobody should be punching anyone’s teeth. I mean, what would be the point of having teeth at the back of your throat? I guess maybe you could use it for-."

  
“Shut up freakshow.” The second bully interrupted, pushing the Charlie back onto the wall.

  
“Hey man what the hell!?”

  
“Yeah man what the hell!? Don’t go pushing around my best friend like that or I’ll kick your ass!” Mac shouted, his face turning bright red with anger and his fists clenching by his sides.

Upon hearing this, Charlie momentarily beamed up at Mac.

  
“Dude, I’m your best friend!?”

  
“Bro totally! You know I-“

  
“Hey Fags, why don't you just fucking shut up already and let us beat the crap out of you." The taller boy growled as they grabbed both Mac and Charlie by their necks and pushed them up hard against the wall, making their faces bulge with lack of oxygen.

  
Dennis was so invested in the situation that he forgot he was supposed to be fucking quiet and without realising he took a sharp intake of breath at the complete wrong time causing him to recoil in horror as the bullies slowly turned around, their eyes darting about in confusion.

“Who the fuck are you?” One of them said.

  
Dennis swallowed. Hard.

  
“Uhhhh...no one really, but hey dude, let em go. C’mon, not cool.” Dennis said sheepishly as he scooted around the pillar, a blush creeping it's way up his neck.

  
“Oh yeah? And what if I don’t? What are you gonna do? Beat me up? Oh I’m so scared by your macho physique.”

  
Suddenly Dee appeared from behind the pillar and stepped in front of Dennis, batting her eyelashes.

  
“If you let them go, I’ll let you kiss me huh.” She winked at them in a failed attempt to be seductive.

  
“Ew gross. Seriously? Look at yourself. You look like a giant, gangly bird. I’d literally pay not to kiss you.”

  
Dee glanced at Dennis quickly before sighing audibly.

  
“You know what? Fuck it.” She said and ran at them, baring her nails and kicking their shins.

  
Quickly realising what she was doing, Dennis decided to join in, kicking one of the bullies in the shin causing them to fall like a rotten tree. he howled in pain as he clutched his ankle and scowled at Dennis before getting up.

“Alright FINE. Fine. You win. You can fucking have them. Whatever. Come on Jared. Lets get out of here. They aren’t fucking worth it.”

  
Jared aggressively pulled himself free of Dee’s grip and sauntered away with his friend limping behind him but not before quickly turning to the other boys and smirking.

  
“This isn’t the last you’ve seen of us you wankstains.”

  
And with that, they were gone.

  
“Hey, you guys good?” Dennis asked.

  
“We’re fine but I totally could have handled them myself dude. I’m a certified karate expert and I coulda KO’d them if I wanted to.” The taller one scoffed, folding his arms and leaning against the pillar behind him in an attempt to look cool.

  
He would have looked cool too Dennis though, if he wasn’t wearing a shitty DIY tank top and didn’t have tear marks streaming down his eyes.

  
The smaller boy jumped up enthusiastically in agreement.

  
“Yeah Mac could have totally handled those guys. He’s like the strongest person I know in the whole world.”

  
“Yeah…okay…so anyways. I’m Dennis and this is my sister Dee.”

  
“Some also say I’m the prettier sibling.” Dee smirked.

  
“Shut up bird.”

  
“Yeah shut up bird.” The younger boy echoed, laughing at Dennis’ insulting nickname for Dee.

  
“Fuck off. I don’t even know your name and you’re already insulting me?”

  
“Well the name’s Charlie. I like bugs and cheese and all things grubby!”

  
“Ew.” Dee replied.

  
“And I’m Mac but uh, but Charlie already told you that so....” Mac mumbled as he looked at Dennis and smiled.

  
Dennis felt too much blood rush out of his heart at once.

  
…

  
Mac and Charlie walked with Dennis and Dee all the way back to their house. Apparently Charlie was down on holiday from Philly with his mother and Mac had tagged along with them to keep Charlie from being lonely. They told the twins about the whole reason why they were being chased in the first place.

  
“So, you see.” Charlie babbled. “they just couldn’t appreciate my worms man, they just didn’t understand the importance of my worms! They were worth a million coins dude!”

  
Realizing Dennis and Dee’s confusion, Mac interrupted Charlie to explain whatever the hell he was ranting about which had now dissolved into unintelligible mumbling.

  
“Basically, what happened was me and Charlie were at the arcade and Charlie was getting some change for the coin pusher even though all he was doing was forcing chocolate coins into the machine.” Mac growled at Charlie momentarily before continuing. “So these two assholes come along and tell Charlie to hand over his change and of course Charlie being Charlie he says that he’s run out of change but he can have these worms instead and he fucking pulls a bunch of worms out of his pockets and tried to give them to Jared who goes ape shit and gets ready to throw punches. That is, until I step in and prevent them from harming Charlie and that’s the reason why they don’t like us. Mac beamed with pride.

  
“Oh, please dude the minute they threatened us we ran the hell out of there like crazy.” Charlie scoffed.

  
Dennis saw Mac flush bright red before punching Charlie in the arm.

  
“Hey man! What the hell?” Charlie shouted.

  
Before Mac could reply Dennis quickly swivelled on his feet and interrupted.

  
“OH hey. Here we are. This is us guys, so I guess this is goodbye.”

  
They then proceeded to say goodnight and while Charlie was chatting to Dee, Mac turned to face Dennis, his eyes swimming with something that only deep-sea divers could understand.

  
“Hey man. Uhh. Thanks for today. I mean I could have handled it but I guess you being there wasn’t totally useless and I guess what I’m trying to say is I’m glad you were there. Thanks.” Mac trailed off, scraping his shoe aimlessly on the ground.

  
Dennis paused for a second, unsure of what to say.

  
“Uhhhh sure, no problem dude.” He lightly chucked and awkwardly looked down at the floor.

  
Mac began to walk away with Charlie, brushing past Dee and Dennis but before he even knew what was happening Dennis felt the ghost of Mac’s fingers on the side of his hand ever so lightly, light enough that the only contact was now a memory forever hidden away in Dennis’ brain. What the hell was that?! Dennis internally shouted, his skin still hot from the contact of Mac’s skin on his. It was probably an accident, why else would he do that? Accident or not it had touched Dennis in his very core and now his mind was left shaking like a ripple in a still pond. A tsunami in the sea. Dennis shook his head and went inside.


End file.
